Perfume or eau de toilette? What's the difference?

Are you confused about the difference between perfume, eau de cologne, eau de toilette and the other forms your favourite scent comes in?

The word 'perfume' itself derives from the Latin per - through - and fumare - smoke - so perhaps it's not surprising the subject is a bit hazy.

Each perfume house uses their own terminology and categories to classify their perfumes according to the concentration of essences or aromatic oils they contain, but the following should give you a general idea of what you're buying...